


Purpose

by achilleanobiwan



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, kinda - Fandom
Genre: (Feemor is aro ace aw yeah), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Aromantic Asexual Character, Autistic Character, Gen, Obi-Wan Kenobi gets the love and respect he deserves dammit, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan is implied autistic and Not Straight, Padawan Obi-Wan, Somebody (Feemor) actually calls Qui-Gon out on his shitty behavior, so does Feemor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2018-12-12 16:39:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11741001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achilleanobiwan/pseuds/achilleanobiwan
Summary: Qui-Gon Jinn rejects Obi-Wan Kenobi as an apprentice, and another Jedi finds him instead.





	1. My Only Hope

**Author's Note:**

> I have three other ongoing fics and should be working on those instead ahaha oops.  
> Anyways, I love getting attached to rare characters that have next to no canon appearances (he said sarcastically).  
> Just fyi, Feemor's supposed to be like 6'5" in this fic, so he really is a scary tall guy.  
> I have a love hate relationship with the JA series, so have my stupid little AU where little Obi-Wan's life isn't so soul crushingly sad.  
> As always, I don't own anything, please leave kudos/comments, and enjoy!

Jedi Knight Feemor Altane trudged up the Temple stairs, unbelievably sore and stiff. He'd just completed an almost year long mission on the Outer Rim world of Firrerre, trying to placate a rebel faction and prevent civil war. As he made the despairingly long trek to his quarters, all Feemor could think about was how nice it would be to finally get some sleep.

Of course, that was before he collided with a distraught twelve year old boy in the hallway.

When they ran into each other, both far too preoccupied with their own thoughts to be paying enough attention to their surroundings, the boy stumbled and nearly fell over. Feemor reached out and caught him, helping the kid regain his balance. They looked at each other, and Feemor was struck by the incredible sadness in the boy's brilliant blue eyes.

"Are you alright, Initiate-?"

"Kenobi," the boy answered, "Obi-Wan Kenobi." He dropped his gaze. "I'm not actually an initiate anymore."

"No?"

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I'm going to join the Agricultural Corps on Bandomeer."

Feemor blinked, dumbfounded. The Agri-Corps? No, that couldn't be right. 

He was pretty much blind and deaf where the Unifying Force was concerned, but even Feemor could see this kid wasn't meant to be a _farmer_. The Force was a veritable whirlwind around him, strong and bright and singing a single word with crystal clarity.

_Jedi._

Then Feemor processed the rest of Obi-Wan's sentence, and he felt a distinctly un-Jedi like anger flare in his chest.

Something was wrong.

"Hold on," Feemor held up his hands, "you're telling me the Council assigned a thirteen year old to Bandomeer? That Force forsaken rock?"

Obi-Wan tightened his grip on the strap of the bag slung over his shoulder.

"Well, I won't be thirteen for another four weeks, but-"

"You're not thirteen yet?"

As he looked into Obi-Wan's suspiciously bright eyes, Feemor swore he would make every member of the Council regret the day they were born.

"No," Obi-Wan tilted his head, "why?"

Feemor pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to take deep breaths. He didn't want Obi-Wan to think he was angry at him. The kid was clearly having a bad enough day already.

"Well if you're not thirteen, then you still have time to find a master."

Obi-Wan looked back at the floor again.

"No other masters are looking for an apprentice. Today, Master Jinn, he was my only hope."

"Qui Gon Jinn?" Feemor asked, fighting the near overwhelming urge to scream.

Obi-Wan nodded.

Force, that stubborn old-

"Did he say why he wouldn't train you?"

For a moment, it almost seemed that Obi-Wan wouldn't answer, and Feemor made a conscious effort to project _patience_ and _understanding_ rather than the frustration that was beginning to take hold. 

"I'm too aggressive." Obi-Wan's voice wavered. "Master Jinn said it'd be better not to train me, since I'd probably turn Dark."

There wasn't so much as a whisper of darkness around this kid. Obi-Wan had the purest Force signature Feemor had ever seen.

Something was very _wrong._

Feemor pushed his anger aside. He'd take care of that later. Right now there were more important things to deal with, like making sure Obi-Wan didn't get shipped off to the most miserable little mining planet in the galaxy.

"Alright, Obi-Wan," Feemor crouched down to be on eye level with him, "now I can't promise you that you'll find a master, but as long as I have anything to say about it, you're not going to Bandomeer."

Obi-Wan's face took on a look of guarded hopefulness.

"What are you going to do?"

This made Feemor pause for a moment. 

He had _no idea_ what he was going to do; he wasn't even sure where the unexpectedly intense urge to help this kid had come from. It just seemed right, somehow.

A lot of Jedi liked to say there are no such thing as coincidences. Feemor wasn't sure about that, but something about this meeting felt... destined.

"We're going to talk with Master Windu," Feemor said finally, standing up again.

The Force, which up to this point had felt like it was twisting itself into knots, relaxed, apparently satisfied with Feemor's answer.

A ghost of a smile crossed Obi-Wan's face, and the Force flooded with gratitude. Feemor's anger melted away into sadness.

What had happened to this kid to make him so thankful for such a simple act of care and consideration?

The smile faded, and Obi-Wan tilted his head again, reminding Feemor of a Tooka kit.

"Is something wrong, Obi-Wan?"

"I-" Obi-Wan seemed embarassed- "you're doing so much for me, and I don't even know your name."

Feemor grinned at Obi-Wan's shyness, wondering how anyone could ever deem him too aggressive to be a Jedi.

"Feemor," he answered, "my name is Feemor Altane."

Obi-Wan bowed respectfully, catching Feemor off guard.

"Thank you, Master Altane."

"It's my pleasure, Initiate Kenobi."

 

"If that's all-"

"Actually," Feemor interrupted, acutely aware of the surprise that rippled through the Council chambers, "there is another matter I'd like to address."

Feemor's bright green eyes turned to the Head of the Council, and Mace Windu nodded in reponse to his silent query.

"You may continue, Master Altane."

"Upon my return to the Temple last night," Feemor said as he walked towards the door, "I discovered something unsettling, which I discussed with Master Windu."

Feemor palmed open the door and ushered the waiting Obi-Wan into the room. When they reached the center of the circular chamber, Feemor placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder comfortingly, sensing his anxiety in the Force.

"I'm sure you all know Obi-Wan, as the Council apparently saw fit to assign him to the Agri-Corps base on Bandomeer." One Councilor looked as if they were going to interrupt, but Feemor simply set his jaw and barreled on. "I found him on his way to a transport that I later found out had miners from two rival corporations, which included, on one side, Hutts." Feemor cast a challenging look around the room, satisfied to find that most of the Council wouldn't meet his eyes. The few that would (Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and, of course, Mace) were clearly as unhappy as he was with the whole mess. Good. "Now, I'm certain the Council, in all their infinite wisdom, realizes how dangerous this situation would have been for a young boy."

"Just a minute," someone said, "Initiate Kenobi is perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

Feemor cleared his throat. He'd been waiting for this argument.

"Obi-Wan," he began softly, "have you ever been out of the Temple by yourself?"

"No," Obi-Wan leaned back against Feemor as he answered, seeking reassurance, and Feemor squeezed his shoulder gently.

"Did anyone inform you of the potential danger before you left?"

"No."

"And how long until your thirteenth birthday?"

"Four weeks."

Feemor's eyes blazed with what could only be described as righteous vindication.

"So," it took significant willpower not to snarl, "a child who knows nothing of life outside the Temple, who still has almost a month to find a master, and what do the Order's best and wisest do? Send him blindly into the middle of a corporate warzone, with some of the galaxy's most notoriously vile and selfish creatures and no supervision." Feemor lifted his chin defiantly. "It seems to me that the Order has failed in its most sacred duty, protecting the children in our care."

A slight movement from the left side of the room drew his gaze.

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Master Altane," Plo Koon said, "we must discuss the matter further, but Initiate Kenobi will be allowed to remain in the Temple."

Feemor could tell that the Kel-Dor Jedi Master would have taken Obi-Wan as his own apprentice right then, if it were possible. He resisted the urge to smirk; he'd done his job well.

If I earn censure for this, Feemor thought, it'll be worth it.

He'd given Obi-Wan another chance.

Another hope.

 

As the third week passed with no assignment, Feemor began to get suspicious.

The Council hadn't officially punished him for his outburst, which was surprising in and of itself, but it was even more surprising that they didn't immediately send him off on some appropriately grueling mission for his impudence.

Not that Feemor was complaining, after all, this meant he could keep an eye on a certain red headed Jedi Initiate.

Feemor visited Obi-Wan pretty much daily, mostly just talking or watching him in the training salles with the other initiates.

Through their conversations, Feemor learned that Obi-Wan was exceptionally clever, excelling in almost every subject, and he had quite the mouth on him, once he got past his initial timidity.

Then there were his natural skills with a lightsaber. It was clear enough that Obi-Wan was at the stage where he had to get used to awkward growth spurts, but he managed to anticipate his clumsiness and work around it. Every misstep and stumble was turned into part of the dance.

Feemor found himself wondering, not for the first time, how no one had offered to train Obi-Wan yet.

Sure, he did have bit of a short temper, but Feemor had seen much worse, and it was almost completely overshadowed by the boy's compassion and dedication.

As Feemor sat in his quarters, hovering on the edge of meditation, a sudden jolt of fear made his throat close up. It took the Jedi a moment before he realized it wasn't his own and traced its true origin.

_The initiate dorms._

Feemor rose and quickly left his quarters.

_Obi-Wan._

He ran.

As Feemor neared the site of the disturbance, he slowed his pace, silencing his approach. He soon found what the Force had warned him of.

Two boys, initiates by the looks of them, had trapped a third against the wall. The bullies spouted taunting insults and cruel laughter at their victim, who cowered against the wall with his hands balled into fists, radiating an overwhelming mixture of _terrorangerhelplessness_.

Feemor cleared his throat, drawing himself up to his full height.

He'd promised himself that he'd never use his stature to intimidate the Order's younger members, but today Feemor believed an exception could be made.

The bullies turned to face him. They looked horrified, though it was clearly less at their reprehensible actions than at being caught.

"Tell me," Feemor crossed his arms, "do you two believe this is acceptable behavior for Jedi?"

"N-no, Master," the boys stammered in unison

"You knew what you were doing was wrong, yet you continued to do it?" Feemor was sure to make it clear that that was a question, forcing the initiates to answer.

"Yes, Master."

Feemor kept his expression carefully blank as he looked at them.

"As I thought," he finally said, "you can be sure that your clan leader and Master Yoda will hear of this." The young bullies looked even more afraid than before. "Well? Return to your dorms, I think you've done quite enough here."

Bruck Chun and Aalto Evane scurried away as quickly as they could, not once looking back.

Feemor kneeled down, softening his expression and voice.

"Obi-Wan," he waited until the boy was looking at him, "this isn't the first time something like this has happened, is it?"

"No," Obi-Wan admitted, quietly.

Feemor placed his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders.

"You could've told me."

"I know," fresh tears ran down Obi-Wan's already salt stained cheeks, "I'm sorry."

Feemor pulled Obi-Wan into a hug, and the boy clung to him.

"It's alright," he said, "you have nothing to apologize for, Obi-Wan. It's not your fault." Feemor could still feel Obi-Wan shaking in his arms. "It's not your fault."

The significance of those words, beyond what had just transpired, were not lost on either of them.

Qui Gon's rejection, the bullying, almost being kicked out of the Order for good... It's not your fault.

Sometimes it seemed the Force could change its mind in an instant, suddenly throwing new events into motion. Or maybe it was never really sudden at all.

Either way, sometimes all it took was a moment, a thought.

_But Bruck was right, I'll never find a Master._

Feemor froze.

He'd heard it as clearly as if Obi-Wan had spoken aloud, perhaps moreso.

Oh.

_OH._

If he hadn't been holding Obi-Wan, Feemor would've dragged his hands down his face in an appropriately dramatic and self deprecatory fashion.

Sometimes, he thought, I can just be so Force damned stupid.

"Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?"

"There's something important I need to ask you."

 

"By unanimous vote, Master of the Order abstaining, the Council approves your partnership."

Feemor could see Obi-Wan's eyes light up at Mace's words.

"Congratulations, Padawan Kenobi."

The Force sighed in contentment.

It's about time, it seemed to say.

Feemor privately agreed.

(Sometime he'd have to remember to go back and tell his former Master what a stubborn fool he was for turning down such a bright student, but that was for another day.)


	2. Grandmaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised like three different times that I would have this chapter up on certain days, but everything has been crazy busy and something always intruded and for that, I'm sorry.  
> However, it's updated now! Yay!  
> Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on the first chapter, I honestly didn't think anyone would care about this fic, and the response was overwhelming.  
> As always, feel free to leave kudos/comments, and enjoy!

Obi-Wan was a quick learner. Even though he knew that before, Feemor was still constantly surprised by his apprentice's ability to retain information.

If only Obi-Wan himself could see it.

Feemor felt frustration filter across their new training bond as Obi-Wan accidentally grazed himself with the training saber. His grip tightened on the hilt, forehead creasing in concentration.

"Obi-Wan," Feemor waited until Obi-Wan turned to look at him, "breathe. Letting your frustration get the better of you won't help."

Feemor stepped into the center of the room and took his own saber from his belt. The dazzling blue blade illuminated everything around it, kyber crystal humming its familiar, triumphant melody.

"Watch me, alright?"

Easing into the Soresu starting pose, as naturally as drawing a breath, Feemor launched into the kata. Each movement flowed into the next with a rapid, easy grace. He felt the Force sing through him as he twirled his lightsaber in close blocks and tight arcs. It seemed as though Feemor's feet barely touched the floor until he settled into the ending stance.

Obi-Wan watched in rapt attention, partially in awe, but also curiously over-analyzing every movement, every detail. His expression quickly fell, darkening.

"I can't do that," he said.

"Maybe not yet, but you will someday," Feemor reassured him. "You have to walk before you can run, Padawan."

Feemor placed his hands on his hips, thinking. Soresu was a good match for Obi-Wan. As the most defensive form, it required great patience, something which Obi-Wan lacked, but the tediousness was starting to get to him. Obi-Wan needed to get out of his own thoughts and simply do what Feemor knew he could do.

"Let's try this," Feemor finally said, "close your eyes."

Obi-Wan's confusion drifted over the bond, but the apprentice obeyed.

"Go into your opening stance." Feemor circled around Obi-Wan, making small corrections to his form. "Form III requires fluidity, you have to adapt to your situation. If you don't relax, the movement won't flow, and you'll just end up hurting yourself again."

The tension visibly seeped out of Obi-Wan's shoulders, frustration ebbing into the Force. Feemor beamed and, realizing Obi-Wan couldn't see it, sent gentle encouragement over their training bond.

"Now let the Force move through you, let it guide your movements."

For a while, nothing happened, and Feemor sensed Obi-Wan's frustrations returning.

"Easy, Padawan," he said, "be patient, and let the Light come to you."

A few moments passed in perfect stillness, and then the Force lit up like Coruscant Prime.

When Feemor called on the Force, it felt like a rush of warm air, or the vibrations of a groundquake. It thrummed with living energy, the soft aura that all plants and animals gave off.

The energy that emanated from Obi-Wan now was different. It was a swirl of stardust accompanied by the rumble of thunder. Strikingly beautiful light, pure potential energy, danced in time with the turn of the cosmos.

The Force raced around Obi-Wan as he worked through the kata, eyes still closed. He didn't complete it as fast as Feemor had earlier, but he finished the routine without stumbling, each movement easy and precise.

Someday, Feemor thought, Obi-Wan will be a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be.

 

A young apprentice set a small stack of datapads down on the counter in front of Tahl, his bright blue eyes gleaming with poorly concealed joy.

"Are you finished with all of those already, Padawan-" Tahl looked over to check the computer monitor as she scanned the pads- "Kenobi?"

"Not quite," he admitted, "but I'm leaving for a mission tomorrow, and I don't know when I'll get back."

"I see," Tahl said, "turning them in now is a good idea then." She pretended to look around and leaned in conspiratorially. "You wouldn't want to upset Madame Nu."

Obi-Wan smiled, and it lit up his whole face. A gleam of mischief appeared in his eyes.

"Careful, Master Uvain," he whispered, "she has ears like a Hawk Bat."

Tahl stifled a laugh and looked back at the boy again.

Obi-Wan's learner's braid was completely unmarked, a blank slate. His expression was controlled, but his Force signature was bursting with excitement. He was practically glowing.

"Will this be your first mission then?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Obi-Wan nodded, somewhat shyly, eyes still bright.

"Well, you better run off, Obi-Wan," Tahl said. "You have a big day tomorrow, and I'm sure your Master must be looking for you."

"Actually," Obi-Wan said, "he said he'd meet me here, but I don't-"

Obi-Wan stopped abruptly mid-sentence, tilting his head slightly to one side as if listening to something. Tahl recognized the behavior as something new apprentices tend to do when communicating over their training bonds.

A tall human Jedi emerged from the stacks to Tahl's left.

Tahl blinked in surprise as she recognized him. She didn't know Feemor had taken an apprentice, and if Feemor was Obi-Wan's Master, then that meant- ah. Things had just gotten a little more interesting.

"Looking for me, Padawan?"

The devious gleam returned to Obi-Wan's eyes.

"Not particularly, Master, I was rather enjoying a few moments of freedom," he replied.

"Well, I'll remember not to allow you such liberty in the future, my insolent young apprentice," Feemor shot back, tugging on Obi-Wan's braid. "I hope he wasn't causing you too much trouble, Tahl."

The caution with which he regarded her didn't escape Tahl.

"Not at all, he's quite the little charmer."

Feemor hummed thoughtfully, then turned to his apprentice, eyebrows raised.

"Don't you have some packing to do, little one?" he asked.

Obi-Wan's perceptive gaze flicked between Feemor and Tahl, but he evidently knew better than to question the obvious dismissal. He bowed respectfully, said goodbye to Tahl, and left.

The other two Jedi waited until they were sure he was out of earshot before resuming their conversation.

"I think you have your work cut out for you," Tahl said, "but Obi-Wan seems like a sweet kid."

"He is," Feemor said, and there was an underlying twinge of sadness to it that Tahl couldn't quite understand.

"Qui-Gon doesn't know, does he?"

"I saw no reason to tell him," Feemor replied coldly.

Tahl's eyes narrowed.

"You're upset with him."

It wasn't a question.

Feemor sighed heavily, and if he weren't so clearly upset, Tahl might have smiled at the theatrics.

"Alright," she said at last, "tell me about it."

 

"I met your grandpadawan today," Tahl said.

Qui Gon almost choked on his tea, though he hid it remarkably well.

"My _what?"_ he asked.

Tahl looked up.

"Feemor took an apprentice, I thought you would've known."

The assumed innocence in her voice suggested otherwise, but Qui Gon wasn't interested in arguing the point.

"I didn't," Qui Gon waited for Tahl to say more, but she remained quiet, "who is it?"

"His name is Obi-Wan Kenobi," Tahl answered.

This time Qui Gon wasn't very good at hiding his surprise, and when Tahl looked at him, he once again got the impression she knew more than she was letting on.

"Something wrong, Qui?"

Qui Gon recalled the boy he'd met a few weeks ago, the boy with a quick temper and fire in his eyes. He wondered how Feemor had found him.

"I was under the impression that young Obi-Wan had been sent to the Agricorps."

"Well, apparently Feemor found him first." Tahl set her cup down and leaned back in her chair, smiling softly. "I think they're well matched," she continued, "though Feemor will certainly have his hands full. The boy has quite a mouth on him."

She looked at Qui Gon, and he got the feeling, as he often did, that her green and gold eyes could see right through him. He never could hide anything from Tahl.

"I get the feeling you know more than you're letting on."

Tahl shrugged, but her voice and demeanor chilled, ever so slightly.

"I believe that's a conversation you should have with your first padawan," she replied.

Tahl emphasized her last two words, well aware of their significance.

 

/Obi-Wan?/

Feemor's mental call was met with an initial burst of surprise, followed by embarassment.

/Sorry, Master, I was saying goodbye to Bant. I'm on my way now./

/There's no hurry, Padawan,/ Feemor smiled to himself, shaking his head fondly, /and you don't have to apologize for saying goodbye to your friends, especially when I gave you permission to do so./

/Right, of course./ Even just thinking, Obi-Wan managed to convey his sheepishness. /I'll be there in a few minutes./

Apologizing for everything was a habit of Obi-Wan's that Feemor was trying to break. It was honestly rather alarming to see a not-quite-thirteen year old boy, notoriously big headed creatures, even and perhaps especially in the Jedi Temple, behave with the utter lack of self confidence that Obi-Wan did.

Feemor's thoughts caught on the not-quite-thirteen detail.

Obi-Wan's thirteenth birthday was in a couple days. Feemor had given a great deal of thought to his present, a padawan's thirteenth birthday was a big deal after all. Lost in his musings, Feemor lifted a hand to his chest; he had the perfect idea.

His contented air dissipated quickly when he noticed another Jedi approaching.

"Qui Gon," Feemor greeted him before Qui Gon could get a word out, "do you need something?"

Feemor was fairly certain that he was glaring like an angry Rancor, and even more certain that he didn't care.

"I just wanted to talk," Qui Gon said, with uncharacteristic caution.

Oh, _now_ he wants to talk?

"You chose a bad time for it, I'm about to leave on assignment."

"Yes, so I heard," Qui Gon said, "with your new apprentice." The subtle look of hurt in Qui Gon's eyes almost made Feemor feel guilty, but only until he opened his mouth again. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Maybe because I don't want you anywhere near him, Feemor thought, remembering the horrible look of total defeat he'd seen on Obi-Wan when they first met.

"You renounced me, Qui Gon," he pointed out evenly, "I didn't think I was obligated to tell you when I took an apprentice."

"It seems more like an act of spite to me."

Feemor felt the Force flare around him as he took a small step forward, glad now more than ever for his superior height.

"And what do you call turning away an initiate whose biggest crime was an upcoming birthday?"

"Learning from my mistakes."

"That's not learning," Feemor spat, "that's _hiding!"_ He drew back, looking down at his former master, "so I suppose you'd call it cowardice."

A miniscule twitch in Qui Gon's expression told Feemor his words had hit their mark. Good.

"It's not cowardly to deny a child with such a temper," Qui Gon replied, "he could turn."

"Any one of us _could_ turn, and the Qui Gon Jinn I knew would never have seen Obi-Wan's temper without first acknowledging his incredible compassion and heart," Feemor said, "but then, the Qui Gon Jinn I knew would've never allowed such mistreatment of a child in the first place. He would've done something to help."

Qui Gon said nothing, and grief filled the Force.

"Xanatos broke you after all."

"This isn't about him," Qui Gon said, scarily quiet.

"Of course it is," Feemor said, "and you punished an innocent boy for Xanatos's crimes."

/Master?/

Feemor looked over Qui Gon's shoulder to see Obi-Wan standing several feet away. He wasn't close enough to hear the conversation, and he looked uncomfortable about drawing any nearer.

/Is everything alright?/

/Yes, Padawan, everything's fine./ Feemor accompanied the words with a rush of gentle reassurance.

"If you'll excuse me, Master Jinn, I'm in quite a hurry, and my apprentice is waiting for me."

Feemor brushed past Qui Gon, leaving his former Master standing alone in the hall, the Force crying around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna check out my fic blog (obiwanxhappiness) on tumblr, I usually try to post status updates on there about what fics will be updated when, as well as general information regarding all my AUs.  
> Thank you so much for reading! The next chapter will be up as soon as possible, and it features Obi-Wan more heavily.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! Y'all probably thought I'd abandoned this huh?  
> Nope! I've just been really busy and unmotivated and I didn't wanna turn out a chapter for the sake of doing it, because that would be doing you (the readers) and this story a disservice.  
> So happy May the Fourth from yours truly (or Revenge of the Fifth depending on when this goes up). I've been seriously overjoyed by the response to this story, and I wish I could reply to every comment individually.  
> I can't, but I would like to address one in particular about the timeline before we get into this chapter:  
> The fic starts four weeks out from Obi-Wan's 13th birthday, Feemor then spends roughly 3 weeks at the Temple (due to Council meddling) before the incident with Bruck Chun, the next day the Council allows him to take Obi-Wan as his apprentice, and they're sent off on a mission just a couple days later. This means Obi-Wan's birthday is indeed in a few days, as Feemor said in the last chapter. I'm sorry that wasn't more clear, and I hope this explanation helped!

"All caught up on our assignment, padawan?" Feemor looked up as Obi-Wan entered the room.

Obi-Wan nodded and got a smile in return. He was somewhat confused when Feemor turned his attention back to the datapad in his hand.

His confusion must have translated across their bond, because Feemor laughed. He looked up again, eyes shining.

"Obi-Wan," he said, "I trust you. If you say you read the mission briefing, I don't see a need to quiz you on it."

A sense of joy gradually washed over Obi-Wan. _Feemor trusted him._ He trusted him to understand what was going on, to be able to keep up, to have his back if the need arose.

This would take some getting used to.

Obi-Wan had, of course, read the briefing. Small cargo ships had been mysteriously vanishing in the Outer Rim for months now. They'd drop out of hyper space, and then... nothing. No distress signals. Crew, cargo, and ship, all gone without a trace.

Based on the previous disappearances, they'd predicted which ships were most likely to vanish next, and one or two Jedi had been sent to protect each one and see if they could find the cause behind the incidents. Obi-Wan and Feemor were to meet up with a ship called Reaver at the next spaceport.

"Master?" Obi-Wan said suddenly.

"Yes, padawan?"

"About what happened, before- before we left, between you and Master Jinn." Obi-Wan fought the urge to look down at his feet. "You seemed upset."

Feemor set aside his datapad and leaned forward on his knees, sighing heavily.

"I've known Qui-Gon for a long time, and I find it difficult to associate the man I once knew with his recent behavior. He's been through a lot, but that's no excuse for how he's been handling things, especially his treatment of you."

"I don't want to be the reason for such a rift between you and Master Jinn."

"You're not." Feemor shook his head. "The only person who's responsible for the rift between me and Qui-Gon is Qui-Gon."

"But-"

Feemor reached out, clasping Obi-Wan's hands between his own.

"Obi-Wan, listen to me." He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking, then opened them again. "My first master was killed a couple years before I was ready to be knighted. Qui-Gon was the one who completed my training."

Surprise showed as clearly on Obi-Wan's face as in the Force.

"After I was knighted, he took another apprentice, a boy named Xanatos." Feemor's normally focused eyes were lightyears away. "Xanatos was strong in the Force, and gifted with a lightsaber, but he was arrogant, self-centered. In spite of other people's warnings, Qui-Gon couldn't see his faults, and when Xanatos fell to the Dark, he was devastated."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, as if several puzzle pieces were falling into place in his mind.

"That's why Master Jinn didn't want to train me," he said.

"Yes, Qui-Gon considered Xanatos his ultimate failure, and in the wake of his fall, he denounced me as his former apprentice."

Eyes widening, Obi-Wan tightened his grip on Feemor's hands. He seemed torn between confusion and irritation.

"Why would he do that?"

"Perhaps he thought that since he failed one apprentice, he shouldn't be credited with the success of another," Feemor shrugged, "but either way, now you know you aren't the root cause of the conflict between myself and Qui-Gon." He stood up, releasing Obi-Wan's hands. "And even if you were, I stand by my decision. I couldn't ask for a better apprentice."

Feemor wasn't sure if Obi-Wan's bright smile at those words made him more or less angry with Qui-Gon Jinn.

 

Feemor steadied himself as the ship suddenly lurched forwards. He didn't need to have a gift with the Unifying Force to know what had just happened.

The Reaver had just been pulled out of hyper space.

/Master?/

/Yes, padawan, I felt it. Meet me on the bridge./

/Yes, master./

Feemor palmed open the door, stepping into the empty hallway.

/And be careful./

/Aren't I always?/

In spite of the situation, Feemor snorted an exasperated not-quite-laugh.

/Funny./

/I try./

All eyes turned to Feemor as he stepped into the bridge. He did a quick visual sweep of the area, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Captain Daros, what happened?"

The red Zeltron looked up from the controls, lifting her hands helplessly.

"Our scanners and communications are down, Master Jedi," she said, "and we're running on sub-light engines. It will take time to prepare for another jump."

The door to the bridge opened with a quiet hiss.

"That's time we don't have, Captain." Obi-Wan's lightsaber hilt was already in his hand. "There's another ship, starboard aft. They must have pulled us out of hyper space somehow, and it looks like they're preparing to board."

"Pirates," Feemor said.

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Pirates."

Feemor stretched out with his senses, casting them beyond the small ship. Along with the signatures of the crew and Obi-Wan, he picked up the presence of twenty more people. They were approaching quickly.

He'd faced worse odds.

"Captain, tell your crew to get ready for a fight, we'll need all the help we can get."

"Of course, Master Jedi."

"Obi-Wan, come with me," Feemor said, "and stay close."

The two moved silently toward the back of the ship, and Feemor was surprised to discover how familiar and comfortable his apprentice's presence was already. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to work with another Jedi.

He didn't have much time to dwell on it. The airlock opened, and several Weequay streamed in. Two identical hums buzzed through the air as the two Jedi ignited their lightsabers.

The pirates barely had time to begin regretting their life choices before Feemor and Obi-Wan leapt into action.

They were quickly joined by Captain Daros and her crew, and the fight raged through the whole ship. The Reaver's crew escaped with only one casualty and two serious injuries.

The pirates weren't as lucky.

Feemor turned toward the last invader. He was tall, but he still looked like a boy, no more than a few years older than Obi-Wan. The young pirate dropped his blaster immediately, holding up his arms in surrender.

"My dear mother taught me better than to go against two Jedi," he laughed.

"Wise decision," Feemor deactivated his saber and heard Obi-Wan do the same. "What's your name?"

"Hondo Ohnaka."

 

"I'm afraid this is where we part ways, Captain."

Captain Daros bowed respectfully and smiled at him.

"I'm grateful for your help, Master Jedi. Without you, I'm afraid my crew and this ship would be long gone by now." She straightened out her jacket. "Will you be taking our young friend Mr. Ohnaka with you?"

Feemor and Obi-Wan traded amused glances.

"I believe so, he may be helpful in locating the missing ships and their passengers."

"Of course, I wish you the best of luck."

"And you, Captain, may the Force be with you."

Moments later, Feemor and Obi-Wan watched from one of the viewports of the pirates' ship as The Reaver jumped to hyper space.

"You know, Master," Obi-Wan said, "I think the Captain was rather fond of you."

Feemor pulled Obi-Wan's braid, barely holding back a grin.

"You should leave the thinking to me, padawan." Feemor raised a hand to his chest, evidently deep in thought.

"Master? Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure yet." Feemor crouched to be on eye-level with Obi-Wan. "Do you feel like something's wrong?"

Obi-Wan considered that for a moment, then shook his head. He wasn't getting any bad feelings from the Force. 

"Well," Feemor said at last, "when this ship first approached us, I sensed twenty signatures on board, but we only fought nineteen pirates, if you include our new friend Hondo."

"There's someone else on the ship?"

Obi-Wan didn't seem to like that idea.

"It would seem so." A smile tugged at the corners of Feemor's mouth. "Let's go find them, shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it's a bit of a filler chapter. There will be more action and plot in the next one, promise.  
> My summer break starts in just a couple weeks, so updates should be more regular for at least a couple months! I'll try to warn y'all in advance if it'll be a while between chapters, but I'll definitely keep my fic blog updated, so if you start wondering about the next update, you can always check there.  
> Keep in mind that this fic got updated before my others because your feedback made it my priority. The more kudos/comments this story gets, the more motivation I get to continue it!  
> So, as always, feel free to leave kudos/comments, and I hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> I've actually got this planned as a multi chapter story that will eventually go through the prequel trilogy, probably.  
> School just started back for me, and I'm working on the next chapters for two of my other fics, so I can't really promise regular updates, but I'll try.


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